Zoo Families

field note African Wild Dog Lycaon pictus When hunting antelopes in the wild, African wild dogs don’t pull rank with each other. Solidarity reigns as carnivorous packs, from a few dogs up to 30 or 40 members, chase, tire out and take down fleeing prey mid-stride on the plains of eastern and southern Africa.

Breeding rights and family divisions are another matter. Only the dominant alpha male and female breed, remaining monogamous for life, while subordinates are prevented from following suit. A more altruistic attitude unfolds as pups, born in litters averaging 10 offspring, are fed meat by all of the pack’s members.

“The dominant female is sort of the ruler of the roost, but the pack will partake in the raising of pups,” says Curator of Mammals Mark Kamhout. “They’re very social carnivores.”

Genders have separate rank orders. Within packs males are closely related to each other but not to the females.

Girl power prevails at Lincoln Park Zoo where four sisters, born at Brookfield Zoo almost two years ago, recently took up residence at Regenstein African Journey. The new arrivals are part of the African Wild Dog Species Survival Plan® (SSP), a cooperative initiative among zoos to manage this highly endangered predator, whose wild population has been decimated by hunting, habitat loss and disease spread by humans and domestic dogs.

Visitors will see the youthful dogs’ social dynamics take shape as keepers meet their curiosity and athleticism with prey items and enrichment tools like bones and boomer balls.

“African wild dogs always want to know what the others are doing, and they’re very vocal—lots of high-pitched squeals and yelps,” says Kamhout. “They should be very entertaining for guests to watch.”